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Bright sunlight greeted the riders at the start of the fifth Qualifying session at the 2011 Manx Grand Prix Races, though Clerk of the Course Phil Taubman warned the riders about damp patches from Ballacraine to Glen Helen from the earlier rain. After the cautious laps posted yesterday following heavy rain, most of the classes saw the fastest laps of the week recorded.

The Classic machines were first on the track and John Barton on his ’85 Suzuki GSXR got the session underway shortly after 18.20 but it was Michael Dunlop, again taking out last year’s Post Classic winning XR69, who set the early pace. He opened up with a lap of 112.978 to Barton’s fastest of the week -106.319 - and followed it up with another 112mph lap. He clearly still has some work to do to break the 120mph barrier for a Classic machine but has plenty of time to get the bike ready before next Friday’s eagerly awaited Classic Racer Classic Superbike race.

Scotland’s Mark Buckley went out in the second session and topped Dunlop’s time on his first lap, clocking 114.052, just outside the 114.385 that he set on Wednesday, which remains the fastest time of the week in the Classic Superbike Class.

In the Classic 500cc class Chris Palmer on the ’62 Matchless was the only rider to post a lap in excess of 100mph with 102.141 although Paul Coward on the ’71 Nourish Westlake was just outside. Fellow TT rider Ryan Farquhar topped the Classic 350cc board for the evening with 99.332 on the ’72 Honda Drixon. In the 250cc Classic 250cc class Peter Symes, on the Suzuki T20, posted the fastest time of the week with 91.013mph

The modern machines got away at 19.15 and Jamie Coward went round in 116.556 on his opening lap, the fastest Junior lap of the week, from Michael Sweeney (116.405) although he was narrowly beaten to the fastest overall by Shaun Anderson, who was a newcomer in 2010, who was timed at 116.636 on his Senior machine.

In the lightweight class, Ross Johnson was quickest on the night with 104.179 with Daniel Millard, Alistair Haworth, Peter Simpson and Mike Carter all posting laps in excess of 100mph although they were all slower than Billy Smith’s 106.453 on Wednesday’s qualifying session.

The newcomers also took the opportunity to get in some last minute practice ahead of tomorrow’s race and a number of them posted their first 100mph laps to give them confidence ahead of their first race on the Mountain Course. Dave Kennington topped the board with 111.254 from William Davison (110.784). Portugal’s Nuno Caetano with 105.115, comfortably his fastest of the week.

In the Supertwins a number of riders posted their fastest times of the week with Phil McGurk (110.874) topping the board from Dave Moffitt (109.849) and newcomer Wayne Hamilton (109.420).

Andy Cowin was taken by Airmed to Nobles Hospital with arm and shoulder injuries, while Dave Webber (Sulby Bridge), Robert Simcock (Creg Ny Baa) and Rob Waugh (Quarterbridge) were all reported as OK following incidents.

Tomorrow’s sees the first races of the 2011 Manx Grand Prix, the Newcomers A and B races, which are scheduled to start at 17.30 followed by a practice session for all classes except the Newcomers.






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